Studies On Extracurricular Activities In Teaching Chinese As A Foreign Language Based On Project-based Learning

Based on the latest statistic information provided by Chinese Education Ministry on5th march2014, in2013there have been about356thousand foreigners studying in China, which has increased by10.77%compared to last year. Among these foreigners41.5%of them have attended colleges or universities in Chinese mainland to learn Chinese language.Thereforeto better adapt the new education situation and needs in China there are some new requirements in the teaching of Chinese as a foreign language, including new adjustments in education scale, education quality, education layering. They may include also new explorations in achieving standardized education and better educational system.As an essential part of the teaching of Chinese as a foreign language the extracurricular activities are effective expansion to the traditional classroom education. The two forms who focus on the same goal work together to structure the educational system in the teaching of Chinese as a foreign language. Basically, opposite to traditional classroom education, the extracurricular activities are activities in which students can practice, experience and apply their learning in the normal curriculums. These activities can greatly reinforce the ability to practice language learning, enrich educational forms, represent hidden course values and help achieve the expansions and depths of educational system. They require a thorough and systematical concern and discussion.As a typical learner-centered teaching methodology, project-based teaching (PBL) is a practical teaching method during which the students do meaningful tasks using learned knowledge and acquired resources under the command of a teacher. It has precise and complete procedures and standards and stands for positive influences in assuring input and output of language and culture as well as the standardization of education.At present researchers did many approaches in studying the types, the value and the basic principles on extracurricular activities, they also studied the teaching methods used in these activities, which has a positive influence on further studies. But because of different spectacles and views, different researchers cannot be unified on its conception. The conception needs clarifying. Then, the principles in composing and applying the activities need reinforcing. In the end, although former researchers did make many practical approaches in introducing project-based teaching (PBL) into organizing extracurricular activities, there are more possibilities and necessities in continuing and expanding their theoretical support and introducing teaching methodology.Therefore the main goal of this essay is to clarify the conception of extracurricular activities and to seek the theoretical support and teaching methodology in achieving the standardization and a practical system for organizing extracurricular activities. Therefore project-based teaching (PBL) can be used to conduct the extracurricular activities. This possibility is based on its suitability with characteristics of extracurricular activities and its advantages in resolving problems about organizing extracurricular activities. So the essay introduces the project-based teaching (PBL) who is based on constructivism learning theory and situated cognition theory into the practicing of extracurricular activities in order to enrich its theoretical support and to provide targeted recommendations and references for the standardization of extracurricular activities.Under the above-mentioned context, this essay first clarified the conception of extracurricular activities and its relevance with classroom education, and then it studied the actual situation of carrying out extracurricular activities in Chinese mainland universities extracting the current organization situation, basic activity types and activity characteristics. It chose from the case of Shandong University to research on real performance and influential factors about extracurricular activities and summed up the deficiencies in activity goals, activity forms and activity circumstances etc. Based on its discussion about feasibility and necessity on introducing theories of project-based teaching (PBL) into extracurricular activities, it relatively gave out several principles and recommendations on setting up related activities.The principles on setting up related activities are composed by three parts:needs analysis, target orientation and design philosophy. Needs analysis includes need on educational goals and educational practice as well as life and interest need of students. Target orientation includes language knowledge goals, language skill goals, strategy goals and cultural understanding goals. Design philosophy principles include limiting scientifically the duration of activities, managing methods of relatively complemented with classroom courses, handling different Chinese language levels to make adjustments, reinforcing the level of participation of teachers and students in the activities, building up a view of multicultural education for students, adjusting activities in accordance of students’aptitude and fall use of community activity resources. The part of giving recommendations consists of two parts:recommendations on project design and project implement. The first part suggests that the project subject should be designed following the combination of interesting and academic concerns, it should be from common life and practical, it must be into the future and easy to be carried out. Using the activity classification standard, one can design activities like theme tour, role acting, structure interview, general competition or ability practicing activities. The second part suggests the importance of role of teacher, students’ cooperation, establishment of activity circumstances and resource support for activities. In the end the text analyzed different forms of activity achievements, the composition of related textbooks and the possibility of establishing a data base on teaching cases and the principles and methods for evaluating different activities.